Berlusconi cleared of corruption

A court in Milan today cleared the Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, of corruption charges, but dropped a key corruption charge against him because time had run out. The court fully acquitted the 68-year-old billionaire of a second charge of graft.

Mr Berlusconi, who owns a media empire in Italy, was the first serving Italian prime minister to stand trial on criminal charges. The case related to the sale of a state food conglomerate, SME, in the 80s - a decade before Mr Berlusconi entered politics.

In 1985, judges blocked the sale of SME to the Buitoni group, led by Carlo De Benedetti, a top Italian industrialist, ruling in favour of a group of business magnates including Mr Berlusconi.

The prosecution alleged that Mr Berlusconi had given money to one of his close associates, Cesare Previti, to bribe judges in Rome in an unsuccessful bid to buy the conglomerate.

On a second count, Mr Berlusconi was accused of keeping another Rome judge, Renato Squillante, on his payroll in case criminal charges stemming from his business empire were brought against him.

The prime minister maintained his innocence throughout, and said the lengthy legal battle amounted to a witch hunt by leftwing prosecutors.

He has faced several criminal cases related to his business empire since entering politics a decade ago. In previous trials, he has been acquitted, or his convictions have been reversed on appeal or annulled because of the statute of limitations.

The SME trial began in March 2000, but was halted after the passage of a government-backed law that made Mr Berlusconi and four other top office holders immune from prosecution.

The trial resumed in April after the constitutional court ruled that the legislation violated the principle that all citizens were equal before the law.